The Garrett System

Simmons was discussing head coaching failures the other day, and he really hit the nail on the head here:

There are two types of coaches …

1. A coach who looks at his players and says, "How can I put these guys in the best position for them to succeed?"

2. A coach who looks at his players and says, "How can I use these guys to make my system succeed?"

Now, think about the mind-set driving Coach No. 2: He's basically saying, I'm here only because of my system. I can't actually coach. If you give me the wrong players for my system, it doesn't matter — I will keep using the system anyway, because Plan B would be coming up with a more inventive way to coach these guys. And I can't do that. I'm not good enough. So if it's OK with you, I'd like to go down in flames with my system.

He came in after Garrett and completely turned a team around by working with guys like Alex Smith. Extremely impressive.

McCoy and Fox in Denver are another great example. Most people expect Tebow to be in the CFL within 2-3 seasons, but those coaches actually won a playoff game with him.

Garrett is a great example of #2. He was brought in as some "offensive genius". That screams "SYSTEM COACH" immediately. This is why most fans who lack depth with their thoughts continue to clamor for roster turnover and getting Garrett all the right pieces to succeed.

Coaches who don't know what they're doing need to have superstars in order to look decent. Sometimes, even with superstars, they'll still fail (google: Lakers, LA). There's a reason why many great coaches can do more with much less.

Parcells, Walsh, Noll, Landry, Reid, Holmgren, Kiffin, Jim Johnson (Eagles DC). Those guys all did pretty well with a system that they put players into, as opposed to the other way around. I mean, every coach has a system. Yeah, some are more adaptable than others, and some (like Harbaugh and Shanahan), had success adapting their system to fit their QB, but most of the successful coaches are the ones who can get the right players to fit their system.

Parcells, Walsh, Noll, Landry, Reid, Holmgren, Kiffin, Jim Johnson (Eagles DC). Those guys all did pretty well with a system that they put players into, as opposed to the other way around. I mean, every coach has a system. Yeah, some are more adaptable than others, and some (like Harbaugh and Shanahan), had success adapting their system to fit their QB, but most of the successful coaches are the ones who can get the right players to fit their system.

You think most of those guys didn't work their system around the talents of their players? Parcells left Dallas with a list of things Romo needed to do in order to be a great QB. He knew Romo better than Romo knew himself. Romo likely learned more from that list than he has in the last 6 years under coaches who were terrible pro QBs.

Either way, Harbaugh, Fox, Carroll, and Shanny have shown what it takes to do well in TODAY'S league. These guys have experience and understand players very well.

As you said, Harbaugh and Shanny in particular have worked to the talents and strengths of their roster, and it has paid dividends thus far. It's really what it takes in the current salary cap era. Coaches who can work with what they have are more important than ever.

He came in after Garrett and completely turned a team around by working with guys like Alex Smith. Extremely impressive.

McCoy and Fox in Denver are another great example. Most people expect Tebow to be in the CFL within 2-3 seasons, but those coaches actually won a playoff game with him.

Garrett is a great example of #2. He was brought in as some "offensive genius". That screams "SYSTEM COACH" immediately. This is why most fans who lack depth with their thoughts continue to clamor for roster turnover and getting Garrett all the right pieces to succeed.

Coaches who don't know what they're doing need to have superstars in order to look decent. Sometimes, even with superstars, they'll still fail (google: Lakers, LA). There's a reason why many great coaches can do more with much less.

You are one of those people that lacks depth, if you cannot see that the OL needs fixing you're blind.

What... Never saw Luck running the read option at Stanford like Kaepernick does.

Which speaking of the OP's point... Supposedly we liked Kaepernick in that draft. Anyone think we'd have let him do what he's doing in SF now?

No way. He'd be turned into another Troy clone. With probably lousy results.

I think we do a pretty good job of developing players. It's not reasonable to expect we'd be doing what Harbaugh does, but I think he'd be a fine player for us if we'd drafted him. What makes you think he wouldn't be?

I think we do a pretty good job of developing players. It's not reasonable to expect we'd be doing what Harbaugh does, but I think he'd be a fine player for us if we'd drafted him. What makes you think he wouldn't be?

Because his running is obviously what makes him unique. Take away that and make him just a pocket passer and he's nowhere near the same threat.

He came in after Garrett and completely turned a team around by working with guys like Alex Smith. Extremely impressive.

McCoy and Fox in Denver are another great example. Most people expect Tebow to be in the CFL within 2-3 seasons, but those coaches actually won a playoff game with him.

Garrett is a great example of #2. He was brought in as some "offensive genius". That screams "SYSTEM COACH" immediately. This is why most fans who lack depth with their thoughts continue to clamor for roster turnover and getting Garrett all the right pieces to succeed.

Coaches who don't know what they're doing need to have superstars in order to look decent. Sometimes, even with superstars, they'll still fail (google: Lakers, LA). There's a reason why many great coaches can do more with much less.

Harbaugh was given a loaded roster. That might have just a little to do with his success.

Because his running is obviously what makes him unique. Take away that and make him just a pocket passer and he's nowhere near the same threat.

Ah. If we're just talking about running, I can't imagine that any coach wouldn't allow him to run. That's something that's going to show up every time he takes the field. That'd be like not expecting Dez to win a jump ball in the end zone.